Sad Puppies Lose in Historic Hugo Awards Vote

George R.R. Martin urged readers to make this year’s Hugo awards “fandom’s finest hour,” and they heard him. Beset by controversy, the Hugos saw a surge in new voters and a historic outcome. The controversy this year centered around angry science fiction authors and fans who sought to control the voting process. Convinced that the Hugo awards had become “political” and too favorable to women and minority authors, the “Sad Puppies” flooded the nomination vote with candidates they favored – mostly white, male writers. The attempt to control the voting called the Hugo’s format into question, prompted some nominees to withdraw, and led to public …

Stephen Lovely –
Art and Music Non-Fiction Science Fiction

George R.R. Martin urged readers to make this year’s Hugo awards “fandom’s finest hour,” and they heard him. Beset by controversy, the Hugos saw a surge in new voters and a historic outcome.

The controversy this year centered around angry science fiction authors and fans who sought to control the voting process. Convinced that the Hugo awards had become “political” and too favorable to women and minority authors, the “Sad Puppies” flooded the nomination vote with candidates they favored – mostly white, male writers.

The attempt to control the voting called the Hugo’s format into question, prompted some nominees to withdraw, and led to public statements from authors like George R.R. Martin. But when the votes were cast during WorldCon (the massive science fiction convention where the Hugos are awarded) in Spokane, Washington, diversity won. When the dust settled, not a single Sad Puppies-backed candidate had won.

Here’s your complete list of Hugo winners:

 

Best Novel:

The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin, translated by Ken Liu

 

Best Novelette:

“The Day the World Turned Upside-Down” by Thomas Olde Heuvelt, translated by Lia Belt (from Lightspeed)

 

Best Graphic Story:

Ms. Marvel Volume 1: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson, illustrated by Adrian Alphona and Jake Wyatt (Marvel)

 

Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form:

Guardians of the Galaxy, written by James Gunn and Nicole Perlman, directed by James Gunn

 

Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form:

Orphan Black: “By Means Which Have Never Yet Been Tried”, ” written by Graham Manson and directed by John Fawcett

 

Best Professional Artist:

Julie Dillon

 

Best Semiprozine:

Lightspeed Magazine

 

Best Fanzine:

Journey Planet

 

Best Fancast:

“Galactic Suburbia Podcast”

 

Best Fan Writer:

Laura J. Mixon

 

Best Fan Artist:

Elizabeth Leggett

 

John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer (presented with Hugos, but not technically a Hugo award):

Wesley Chu

 

Check out the official announcement on the Hugo’s website!